


with him around me

by lostin_space



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Christmas, Fluff, Letters, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-14
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:42:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21788455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostin_space/pseuds/lostin_space
Summary: Alex gets a letter for Christmas every year.
Relationships: Michael Guerin/Alex Manes
Comments: 22
Kudos: 111





	with him around me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Shenanigans](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shenanigans/gifts).



> I'm here for all your malex needs

**2009**

"Package for Manes."

Alex was absolutely, positively sure he'd heard wrong. Except a package dropped on his cot and he had to just stare at it for a moment. This didn’t make sense.

“Well, what are you waitin’ for Manes! Looks like a lady’s handwriting!” Lawrence yelled even though he was right beside him. He was two years older than Alex and had caffeine embedded in his DNA. However, he was the only one Alex could stand so, by all intents and purposes, he was his best friend. 

Alex hesitantly grabbed the package and saw that while, yes, the handwriting was feminine and had apparently been sent from Maria DeLuca, it was most certainly not her handwriting. Instead, it was one he knew extremely well considering how often he’d copied his notes.

No, instead it was Michael Guerin’s.

Alex’s fingers were shaking as he slowly unwrapped it, Lawrence’s breathing over his shoulder the entire time. When he opened the box, it was simply a postcard from Roswell with an empty chain beneath it. The postcard simply said the name of the town in big letters that were inspired by 1960s sci-fi movies with a caricature alien behind it. He slowly flipped it over, though, and saw Michael’s handwriting there too.

_Merry Christmas -M_

Alex’s mind swam with confusion and his cheeks slowly but surely started turning red. Michael had sent him something for Christmas. He went through the trouble of using Maria’s address so no one would question it and finding out where he was all to send him a postcard and a chain. Maybe it wasn’t over after all.

He put the chain around his neck and wished he had a way to thank him.

**2010**

“Ooooh, look, a letter for Manes.”

Lawrence walked into their shared apartment with a shit-eating grin on his face, waving around an envelope. Alex didn’t _get_ packages or letters. This last one he got was last Christmas from Michael, but hadn’t seen anything else since.

Still, Alex snatched the letter like he knew exactly who it was from. And, once he saw Michael’s handwriting and Maria’s name, he really did know. He tore open the envelope, eager to see what he’d said. Even if it was just the same message of ‘ _merry Christmas’_ Alex would cherish it. It meant that Michael hadn’t forgotten him.

This time, it really was a letter which had Alex feeling like he was going to explode. He quickly made his way to his room before he read it, ignoring the way Lawrence was teasing him for it.

_Alex,_

_I saw a star and thought of you. I hope North Carolina is treating you well. Merry Christmas._

_-M_

Alex held his breath and read it over and over and over and hoped there was a hidden meaning. Obviously, there wasn’t. It was simply Michael being lovely and remembering him which was more than enough on its own. 

Except it wasn’t on its own because there was still something in the envelope. 

He pressed the letter over his heart and kept it there, sitting down on his bed before shaking the envelope. A tiny metal pendant in the shape of a star fell out. Alex’s lips parted and he held it up, admiring it and that it was for him. Someone had gotten something that was all for him. Upon closer inspection, he saw a tiny ‘ _a+m’_ engraved into one of the points.

Alex fell back on his bed and tried to remember how to breathe.

**2011**

This time, even though he was sore and tired from both working to get his degree so he could be an officer and actually doing manual labor, he was ready for the letter. This time, DADT was no longer in place. This time, it came from a PO box and the name Michael Guerin attached to it. This time, he could respond.

Alex nearly cried.

_Alex,_

_Be careful. Be free. Fuck the man._

_-M_

Alex shook the envelope over his books and a tiny metal heart pendant fell out. This time, a double male sign was engraved on it. Alex laughed and put it on the chain next to the star. He very quickly ripped out a page full of calculus from his notebook and flipped it over.

_Michael,_

_Merry Christmas. Thank you._

_-A_

He wanted to write so much more, but it didn’t feel right. Instead, he put in time for a vacation soon. He was going to go home.

He was going to go _home._

**2012**

_Michael,_

_Europe is pretty, but you’re prettier._

_-A_

**2013**

_Alex,_

_Santa Claus is coming to town, are you?_

_-M_

**2014**

_Michael,_

_There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home._

_Oh, wait. There’s you._

_-A_

_(sorry that was bad)_

**2015**

_Alex,_

_I took a picture with Santa for the first time as a grown man, now you have to live with it._

_-M_

**2016**

_Michael,_

_War is scary. I miss you._

_Love, Alex._

**2017**

_Alex,_

_I haven’t heard from you in six months. I heard there was a bombing, but I didn’t hear anything about you in particular. Are you okay? Is something wrong? Please respond to me if you can. I’m scared for you._

_Merry Christmas and I LOVE YOU._

_-M_

Alex stared at the letter and read it over and over and over. Then he closed it and shook the envelope onto his bed. Out fell another tiny little pendant, the eighth one. He had a star, a heart, a peace sign, a treble clef, an M, a lightning bolt, a Christmas tree, and now a tiny little moon. They all were so, so beautiful.

And none of it mattered because he couldn’t see Michael again. Not like this. Not broken. Not resigning to a life of physical therapy. Not while knowing he was only just now trying to relearn how to walk. Michael wouldn’t want this version of him. This wasn't who Michael had fallen in love with. This was someone else entirely.

Alex held the letter close and closed the pendant into his palm so he wouldn’t lose it. It was his last piece he would get of Michael Guerin.

**2018**

“Merry Christmas. Wow. It feels weird saying that to you out loud.”

Alex chuckled softly as stared at Michael Guerin. This was the first Christmas they’d seen each other in person and it felt more than a little surreal. They weren’t together, though, but that was okay. Michael had just had his entire world flipped upside down, his brother dying a week prior to Christmas simply being the icing on the cake.

Still, Isobel had put on a happy face for the day and threatened them all so they would come to her Christmas party. It meant Michael, tired and broken as he was, had a snug Santa hat tugged over his curls.

“Merry Christmas,” Alex told him and he meant it.

No one seemed to mind that Michael spent the entire night dosing off on the couch. Whenever anyone paid too much mind to it, Liz would whisper that he was tiring himself out trying to bring Max back and then everyone would shut up.

Alex fought the urge to offer to bring him home.

Present time came around and Michael was able to wake up enough to participate. Maria sat beside him and rubbed his back. Liz adjusted his hat.

They’d all agreed to an extremely last-minute game of Secret Santa that left Alex having to drive to Walmart before they closed Christmas Eve to get Liz a mug. He hoped next year they’d have a bigger head’s up.

Once everyone got their gifts, Kyle decided there was one more.

“Oh, shit, there’s another one back here for Alex,” he said, “Who’s this from?”

No one said it was them, so Kyle simply shrugged and tossed the little box to Alex. He held his breath. He didn’t have to be a genius to know who it was from. He caught Michael’s eye who just gave him a tired smile.

He opened the box to see a tiny metal key pendant and tried not to think about what that meant.

**2019**

_Alex,_

_Your ass is fire._

_-M_

_“_ Michael, we are in the same bed,” Alex laughed. A warm foot pressed against his back, urging him to look behind him to see Michael grinning at him wildly.

“Mornin’,” he said. Alex grinned and scooted closer, letting himself be pulled into a kiss. That one kiss led to another and another and another.

“Good morning,” Alex breathed, pulling him close.

If someone would have told him that he would be in bed with Michael Guerin on Christmas morning ten years prior, Alex wouldn’t have believed them. Hell, he wouldn’t have believed them one year prior. The fact that any of it worked out was a novelty.

He was blessed.

“Mm, wait, I got you something,” Michael said, breaking the kiss long enough to reach into his bedside table. He fell back down, holding up the little pendant with a proud grin.

It was a tiny alien head.

Alex shook his head with a smile, moving in to steal another kiss as he grabbed the pendant. He planned to put it on the chain with the other ones. That’s where they belonged. 

And this is where he belonged.

“Merry Christmas, Michael.”

**Author's Note:**

> also on my tumblr: spaceskam


End file.
